Pelargonium plant named &#39;Pacsteffi&#39;

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct Zonal  Geranium  plant named ‘Pacsteffi’, characterized by its compact, upright and uniformly rounded plant habit; moderately vigorous growth habit; freely basal branching habit; dark green-colored leaves; early and freely flowering habit; and salmon-colored semi-double flowers held above the foliar plane on strong peduncles.

BOTANICAL DESIGNATION

Pelargonium×hortorum

CULTIVAR DENOMINATION

‘PACSTEFFI’

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Zonal Geranium plant, botanically known as Pelargonium×hortorum, and hereinafter referred to by the cultivar name ‘Pacsteffi’.

The new Zonal Geranium plant is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Dresden, Germany. The objective of the breeding program is to develop new uniform Zonal Geranium plants with early flowering habit and numerous attractive flowers.

The new Zonal Geranium plant originated from a cross-pollination made by the Inventor in Dresden, Germany during the summer of 2007 of two unnamed proprietary selections of Pelargonium×hortorum, not patented. The new Zonal Geranium plant was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a flowering plant from within the progeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controlled greenhouse environment in Dresden, Germany during the spring of 2008.

Asexual reproduction of the new Zonal Geranium plant by vegetative terminal cuttings in a controlled greenhouse environment in

Dresden, Germany since January, 2009 has shown that the unique features of this new Zonal Geranium plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Zonal Geranium have not been observed under all possible combinations of environmental conditions and cultural practices. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environmental conditions such as temperature and light intensity without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Pacsteffi’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Pacsteffi’ as a new and distinct Zonal Geranium plant:

1. Compact, upright and uniformly rounded plant habit.

2. Moderately vigorous growth habit.

3. Freely basal branching habit.

4. Dark green-colored leaves.

5. Early and freely flowering habit.

6. Salmon-colored semi-double flowers held above the foliar plane on strong peduncles.

Plants of the new Zonal Geranium differ primarily from plants of the parent selections in plant habit as plants of the new Zonal Geranium are more uniform than plants of the parent selections.

Plants of the new Zonal Geranium can be compared to plants of the Pelargonium×hortorum ‘Evening Glow’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 9,167. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Dresden, Germany, plants of the new Zonal Geranium differed from plants of ‘Evening Glow’ in the following characteristics:

1. Plants of the new Zonal Geranium were more compact than and not as vigorous as plants of ‘Evening Glow’.

2. Plants of the new Zonal Geranium were more freely branching than plants of ‘Evening Glow’.

3. Leaves of plants of the new Zonal Geranium did not have a discernible zonation pattern whereas leaves of plants of ‘Evening Glow’ had a distinct zonation pattern.

4. Plants of the new Zonal Geranium flowered about five days earlier than plants of ‘Evening Glow’.

5. Plants of the new Zonal Geranium had larger flowers than plants of ‘Evening Glow’.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPH

The accompanying colored photograph illustrates the overall appearance of the new Zonal Geranium plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photograph may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Zonal Geranium plant. The photograph comprises a side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘Pacsteffi’ grown in a container.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photograph and following observations, measurements and values describe plants grown in 19-cm containers during the summer in a glass-covered greenhouse in Dresden, Germany and under cultural practices typical of commercial Zonal Geranium production. During the production of the plants, day temperatures averaged 18° C., night temperatures averaged 16° C. and light levels ranged from 15 kilolux to 100 kilolux. Plants were three months old when the photograph was taken and nine months old when the detailed description was taken. In the detailed description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 1995 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Pelargonium×hortorum ‘Pacsteffi’. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Unnamed proprietary selection of             Pelargonium×hortorum, not patented.         -   Male or pollen parent.—Unnamed proprietary selection of             Pelargonium×hortorum, not patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—By vegetative terminal cuttings.         -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About 18 days at             temperatures about 20° C.         -   Time to initiate roots, winter.—About 22 days at             temperatures about 20° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About four             weeks at temperatures about 20° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, winter.—About four             weeks at temperatures about 18° C.         -   Root description.—Fine, fibrous; white in color.         -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching; dense. -   Plant description:     -   -   Plant and growth habit.—Compact, upright and uniformly             rounded plant habit; inverted triangle; densely foliated;             moderately vigorous growth habit; moderate growth rate;             freely basal branching habit with about 23 lateral branches             developing per plant; pinching is not required.         -   Plant height, to top of umbels.—About 30 cm.         -   Plant height, to top of foliar plane.—About 25 cm.         -   Plant width.—About 40 cm.         -   Lateral branches.—Length: About 17 cm. Diameter: About 7 mm.             Internode length: About 1 cm. Texture: Pubescent. Color:             Close to 144A. -   Leaf description:     -   -   Arrangement.—Mostly opposite; simple.         -   Length.—About 5 cm.         -   Width.—About 8 cm.         -   Shape.—Rounded; roughly reniform.         -   Apex.—Rounded.         -   Base.—Cordate, open.         -   Margin.—Crenate.         -   Venation pattern.—Palmate.         -   Texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Pubescent; velvety.         -   Color.—Developing and fully expanded leaves, upper surface:             Close to 147A; venation, close to 147A. Developing and fully             expanded leaves, lower surface: Close to 146A; venation,             close to 144A. Zonation pattern: No discernible zonation             pattern present.         -   Petioles.—Length: About 5 cm. Diameter: About 2 mm. Texture,             upper and lower surfaces: Pubescent; rough. Color, upper and             lower surfaces: Close to 144A. -   Flower description:     -   -   Flower arrangement and flowering habit.—Semi-double flowers             arranged in roughly hemispherical umbels arising from apical             leaf axils; umbels displayed above the foliar plane on             strong peduncles; flowers face upright to outwardly; freely             flowering habit; about 18 flowers per umbel with about 25             umbels developing per plant.         -   Fragrance.—None detected.         -   Flowering season.—Early flowering habit, plants begin             flowering about 65 days after planting; in the garden in             Germany, flowering begins in April and continues until frost             in the autumn.         -   Flower longevity.—Flowers last about six to ten days on the             plant; umbels last about three to four weeks on the plant;             flowers persistent.         -   Umbel height.—About 6 cm.         -   Umbel diameter.—About 11 cm.         -   Flower diameter.—About 5 cm.         -   Flower depth (height).—About 2 cm.         -   Flower buds.—Length: About 9 mm. Diameter: About 6 mm.             Shape: Shell-shaped. Color: Close to 144A.         -   Petals.—Quantity per flower: About eight arranged in about             two whorls; petals imbricate. Length: About 2.7 cm to 3 cm.             Width: About 2.5 cm. Shape: Obovate. Apex: Rounded. Base:             Cuneate. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper and lower surfaces:             Smooth, glabrous; velvety. Color: When opening and fully             opened, upper surface: Close to 41C and 41D; towards the             base, close to 155D; venation, close to 41A; color becoming             closer to 41D with development. When opening and fully             opened, lower surface: Close to 38A; towards the base, close             to 155D; venation, close to 41B.         -   Petaloids.—Quantity per flower: None to about three arranged             at the center of the flower. Length: About 1 cm. Width:             About 5 mm. Shape: Irregularly shaped. Apex: Acute to             rounded. Base: Cuneate. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper and             lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous; velvety. Color: When             opening and fully opened, upper surface: Close to 41C and             41D; towards the base, close to 155D; venation, close to             41A; color becoming closer to 41D with development. When             opening and fully opened, lower surface: Close to 38A;             towards the base, close to 155D; venation, close to 41B.         -   Sepals.—Quantity per flower: Five arranged in a single             whorl. Length: About 1 cm. Width: About 3 mm. Shape:             Lanceolate. Apex: Acute. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper and             lower surfaces: Pubescent. Color, upper and lower surfaces:             Close to 144A.         -   Peduncles (umbel stems).—Length: About 15 cm. Diameter:             About 4 mm. Strength: Strong. Angle: Mostly upright.             Texture: Pubescent. Color: Close to 144A.         -   Pedicels (individual flower stems).—Length: About 3 cm.             Diameter: About 2 mm. Strength: Moderately strong; flexible.             Texture: Pubescent. Color: Close to 144A.         -   Reproductive organs.—Androecium: Stamen quantity per flower:             About eight. Anther length: About 2 mm. Anther shape:             Tubular. Anther color: Close to 50A. Pollen amount: Scarce.             Pollen color: Close to 168A. Gynoecium: Pistil quantity per             flower: One. Pistil length: About 1 cm. Stigma shape: Five             or six-parted. Stigma color: Close to 32A. Style length:             About 3 mm. Style color: Close to 158D. Ovary color: Close             to 147C. Seeds and fruits: Seed and fruit development have             not been observed on plants of the new Zonal Geranium. -   Disease & pest resistance: Plants of the new Zonal Geranium have not     been observed to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to Zonal     Geraniums. -   Temperature tolerance: Plants of the new Zonal Geranium have been     observed to tolerate temperatures ranging from about 1° C. to about     35° C. to 40° C. 

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Zonal Geranium plant named ‘Pacsteffi’ as illustrated and described. 